The holiday season is the peak time of year for package delivery, thanks to the rise of online shopping. But this means the holiday season is also the peak time of year for package theft.
When packages are dropped off at their destination, they're often easy to see from the street, will likely sit there for hours -- especially during work hours -- and are quick and easy to pick up and carry away. These factors make packages attractive targets for thieves. The good news is there are a few steps that help prevent the theft of package deliveries.
Here are a few tips for keeping your deliveries safe and out of the hands of thieves this holiday season:
- If your workplace allows it, schedule deliveries to be made to your office. Not only are you more likely to be available to receive your packages when they're delivered, but there will often be a co-worker available to accept packages for you even when you're not able to meet the delivery person.
- Have packages delivered to a neighbor's house. If you have a neighbor who's usually home and agrees to accept deliveries for you, have your packages sent to that address.
- Install video monitoring and security equipment. There are a number of affordable, easy-to-install, wireless options for monitoring your home, including doorbell cameras, overhead security cameras and motion-activated security lighting systems. You can use them to notify you when packages are delivered and to monitor visitors using your home's Wi-Fi system and smartphone apps.
- Request signature confirmation. Ask your delivery service to make signatures required for packages with tracking numbers to ensure they are hand delivered.
- Request a reroute or redelivery. Often, you can request packages to be held at the delivery facility, rerouted to another location or delivered on another day. To do this, call the delivery service after a tracking number has been received from the shipper, and request the package to be held for pickup at their facility.
- Use a temporary mailbox service. Although most delivery services will not deliver to a post office box, there are many mailbox service locations you can use to receive your packages. Many of these offices will even call you when a package arrives, and take a photo of it for you to see ahead of time.
- Purchase a lock box for your front porch. A number of lockable options for accepting package deliveries are available through online retailers and at hardware stores. The main thing to keep in mind is the lockbox needs to be secured in place so a thief isn't able to simply carry it away.
- Request packages be placed in an out-of-sight location. While it is not the most secure option and is often dependent on the attentiveness of the delivery person, most delivery services offer the option to describe where packages should be dropped off. Keep in mind that delivery people are on very tight schedules, so the quicker and easier the delivery instructions are to follow, the more likely the delivery person is to follow them.
- Insure your packages. Insuring the value of your packages will not stop a thief, but it may allow you to recoup the value or get a replacement of any items that are lost or stolen.
No matter what you do to protect your home deliveries, keep in mind there are many delivery scams during the holiday season, too. The Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection warns against clicking blind links in emails and text messages that claim to be sent by delivery services, because it can be an attempt to install malware and steal personal information. When expecting a delivery, the best option is to visit the delivery company's secure website and enter the tracking ID to monitor the delivery of packages year-round, especially during the holiday season.
For more information, visit www.ftc.gov or call (202) 326-2222.
